The Social Shaping of Open Data through Administrative Processes

Abstract: Many models have been provided in the last years that aim at
describing an optimal open data publication process. However,
they fail to explain the different outcomes of open data initiatives.
Based on qualitative research this paper conceptualises the open
data phenomenon as a set of techno-political arenas in which
different interests of a variety of actors potentially and actually
collide. The micro-political arena model constitutes an instrument
to delineate the social and institutional context of open data that
can be employed to explain the successes, as well as the failures
of individual open data projects.

Providing, guarding, shielding: Open Government Data in Spain and Germany

Abstract: The trend to publish public sector information (PSI) openly on the Internet has grasped attention
worldwide under the term open data. However, despite its global reach and claim of some of the
movement's activists, the national and local results of the phenomenon differ considerably. These
differences have so far not been sufficiently explained. This article understands open data projects as
techno-scientific artefacts negotiated within a network of various actants following vested interests.
Building on Latour's theory of actor-networks this article conceptualises open data projects as cocreated
phenomena transcending the social-technical distinction. This helps us to understand both the
particularities of single projects, as well as the continuities specific administrative systems imprint on
the formation of open data regimes. This research investigates the situation of open data in Germany
and Spain, thereby focusing on national level as well as local level projects. Methodologically it is
build on qualitative empirical data collected through document analysis and more than 30 in-depth
interviews with experts from the public sector as well as users and open data advocates from outside
the public sector.

Keywords: open data, open government data, providing open data, shielding open data, guarding open data

The Tau of Data: A New Metric to Assess the Timeliness of Data in Catalogues

Abstract: We review existing studies that assess the timeliness of data in catalogues and
propose a new metric: tau, the percentage of datasets up-to-date in a data catalogue. Obsolete
data will stifle innovation, whereas spotlighting timeliness can foster efficiency and support
the sustainability of the open data ecosystem, for example, by encouraging automated
publication of data.We validate the tau in three case studies: the World Bank catalogue, the UK
data catalogue (data.gov.uk) and the London Datastore. For the World Bank and London we find
that roughly half of the datasets are up-to-date, whereas data.gov.uk performs worse.
However, there are considerable caveats when it comes to missing and undocumented
metadata. The tau of data is easy to implement, can be readily interpreted and be generalised
with further parameters across all data catalogues.

Conceptualizing Open Data Ecosystems: A timeline analysis of Open Data development in the UK

Abstract: In this paper, we conceptualize Open Data ecosystems by analysing the major stakeholders in the UK. The conceptualization is based on a review of popular Open Data definitions and business ecosystem theories, which we applied to empirical data using a timeline analysis. Our work is informed by a combination of discourse analysis and in-depth interviews, undertaken during the summer of 2013. Drawing on the UK as a best practice example, we identify a set of structural business ecosystem properties: circular flow of resources, sustainability, demand that encourages supply, and dependence developing between suppliers, intermediaries, and users. However, significant gaps and shortcomings are found to remain. Most prominently, demand is not yet fully encouraging supply and actors have yet to experience fully mutual interdependence.

Keywords:Open Data Ecosystem, Open Government Data, Framework, United Kingdom